Pasta
e Fagioli

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained
• 1.5 cups small pasta (ditalini, macaroni, or broken spaghetti)
• 400g crushed tomatoes
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan to serve
• Crusty bread to serve

Method

1. 1
   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cook 6 minutes until soft. Add garlic and rosemary sprig, cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste, cook 2 minutes, stirring.
2. 2
   Add crushed tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. 3
   Add stock and one tin of drained beans. Bring to a boil. Mash or blend roughly half of the second tin of beans to create a thick paste — this is what gives pasta e fagioli its body. Stir into the pot.

   Blending some beans makes the soup creamy and thick without any cream.

4. 4
   Add pasta to the pot. Cook 8–10 minutes until pasta is just al dente. The pasta will continue absorbing liquid so serve straight away, or add extra stock if reheating.
5. 5
   Remove rosemary sprig. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a heavy drizzle of olive oil and parmesan.

Notes & Swaps